Did you ride today?

if so, let's hear about it.

i managed to get out early and avoid the 20 mph winds. that being said even the little 10 mph headwind i rolled into was a toughie. earlier this week i was messing around with routeslip for some new routes. i thought i would attempt one today, but i mapped it out back on Wednesday and apparently have a poor memory.

i actually managed to find some rollers over by the Fox River on Resurection Road (Yorkville, IL). around mile 20 i took a wrong turn and ended up back on my normal route???? i spotted several other riders and one large group of 20 or so. the sun was out, the legs were feeling spunky, and the wind was a tailwind on the way home!! good stuff.

it was 45 miles today and hopefully 45 more tomorrow as i plan to finish off this new route.

I got a chance to ride right around 20 with the whole family on the Fox River Trail. It's the first real ride that I have been able to use the new FLYTE and the trailer together.

Went up to Algonquin and back. Climbed the big hill that most of you know about. Compact was handy. Wasn't too bad with the trailer. Figured I needed that with the big hilly rides coming up.

Tomorrow is the Spring Forward ride for me. My wife's cousin, co-worker, part owner of the company I work for now is coming along. He's fresh into cycling, but super fit and light weight. Bought a nice Kuota TT/Tri bike and told me he rode 40 miles last weekend with his buddies at 18mph.

25 miles today on the Glacial Drumlin Trail west of Waukesha, WI. I had planned on riding with two folks from work who are just starting to train for a short triathlon this July (training to finish it, so you get the idea). Then I got an email from the guy who I went to Kentucky with ... his son (15 yo) is looking for a ride today too, wants to test out his new carbon racing bike. That's cool, so I pick up the kid and we head out to meet the other good folks who show up on their "comfort" bikes which they've each ridden once this year.

They are good people, so the kid and I roll out with them at a blistering 5 mph, chatting and soaking up the sun. After a few miles I send the kid off on side roads so he can stretch his legs ("Go up this road to the top of the hill, turn around and meet us back on the trail", that kind of thing). After 8 miles the kid and I break off from the others and headed a few miles off the bike trail to Lapham Peak State Park which has a nice brute of a climb. The ranger at the gate said we could ride up, no charge, so we did that climb twice (I think I hurt myself both times ) and then headed back to the bike trail to catch up with the others who, by now had turned around. While riding back, we hooked up with some chick who was really hauling and we did a small pace line with her all the way back to the car (10 miles or so) arriving just after the others did. Perfect timing.

I got 25 miles in, the kid did 28, and my friends from work did 20 so we all were happy and we all got to ride together for part of the way.

It must have been a good ride for the kid (he's pretty quiet) because he fell asleep during the drive back to town (half hour).

First day with decent temps when I've been able to ride, so I squeezed in a metric century (63.4 miles, 2,917 feet of climbing)... and I suffered. 1) Those winds were nasty this afternoon!!! WNW at 21mph and gusts up to 37mph here in the NW Illinois cornfields. 2) It was my longest ride on my new Madone. Didn't stretch first (got in a hurry) nor had I ridden it more than 15miles before today. At around mile 32, I had a nasty back spasm. Could have partially been a hydration issue too as I was trying to ride straight through without stopping and was metering my intake from two bottles.

the wind was crazy yesterday afternoon and heck it even seems more wicked nasty this afternoon. that is why i departed both days around 8am. i hate the wind. my legs were a bit tired after yesterdays efforts, but still managed a nice 35 miler at 17 mph. gotta love a tailwind.

Yesterday didn't ride I was working, but today did a 45 mile with an avg of 15.1, as the others have said some strong wind today and continues rolling hills out in the country in the Cedarburg area. Overall great ride, will soon be up to shape to ride with the great BFNIC riders

Made it out to my regular Sunday group ride. The group usually splits up after the warmup (read: leaving the neighborhood). I finally managed to hang onto the "fast guys" the whole ride this time. They use to drop me like a red-headed stepchild...no offense if any of you are red-headed stepchildren We do a giant loop so the wind was both a blessing and a curse. Did 38 miles at 19.9mph avg, that's a best for me and it's still early in the season. I'm shocked my lungs still work, my legs still feel like jelly though. Looking forward to next week's century in Joliet. I just want to be able to finish that one.

That wind was horrid, but I hooked into a goup of 2 other riders at the Spring Forward ride that were animals. We worked a decent paceline (if you don't count my time up front pulling - my 5% to their 50% and 45%). Whipped out just over 62 miles at 18mph.

For the love of God slow down or people are going to start thinking you're bike racers...and not....well, you know....just bike geeks like me. Next thing you know I won't be able to ride with you guys ever again because you'll be bored stiff going 18 mph for cryin' out loud.

No, this has got to stop and stop now.
More posing.
Less training.
Deal?

For the love of God slow down or people are going to start thinking you're bike racers...and not....well, you know....just bike geeks like me. Next thing you know I won't be able to ride with you guys ever again because you'll be bored stiff going 18 mph for cryin' out loud.

No, this has got to stop and stop now.
More posing.
Less training.
Deal?

are you commuting every day? pretty cool. i may give that a try this summer.

later.

I'm shooting for 2 days a week at a minimum to start. Last week I missed out because of some scheduling and the rain (yes, I prefer not to commute in the rain). Week before it was just Monday due to scheduling.